Reviews > CDs

It would be easy enough to write off a side project captained by two hinge pins of a time-tested band like The Disco Biscuits as simply a passing interest for its members, but Conspirator (formed in 2004) has progressed and built its own credentials as a group worthy of fanfare. The Disco Biscuits’ Aron Magner (keys) and Mark Brownstein (bass) along with guitarist Chris Michetti (RAQ) and Lotus drummer Mike Greenfield, have bent Conspirator into a platform for their desire to jam, unrestrained. Sure, The Disco Biscuits already jam plenty, but Conspirator drops all concern for the need to sing, and they demonstrate that all a musician really needs to effectively communicate is a set of well-sharpened chops.

A collection of exploratory, yet tight, textures from some of the master craftsmen of the electronic scene, Unlocked – Live from the Georgia Theatre (recorded 10/06/11) demands to be played from start to finish; ride this trip until there’s nothing left to ride. Electronic jam fans are likely to find themselves doing one of two things while listening to this album of original material, either dancing uncontrollably to the more gas-fired tracks or sitting open-jawed as their bodies melt away with the trance-inducing blankets of sound. Whatever one’s reaction is to the various rhythms, it’s destined to be a good time; few can compete equally, when it comes to completely hijacking the listener’s thought process and supplanting sounds that ring of pure ecstasy.

Conspirator houses the kinds of musicians who can set up in any venue and create an atmosphere of elation for their audience. The fact that these guys got their seasoned road legs under them while working towards this recording is simply all the better for the listener. For anyone who missed Conspirator on their last journey through their neighborhood, never fear. Conspirator is touring as this album is being released, and they show no signs of stopping, which bodes well for those who need their own live experience.